Bourbon & Lies (The Bourbon Boys, #1)

by Victoria Wilder

I’ve always liked the idea of a man like that. A sexy feminist who doesn’t need to boss a woman around or save the day to prove his masculinity. One who trusts and allows her to handle her shit without having to rescue her, but is there when she needs him. I sure as hell haven’t found any men like that.

“I’m going to do you a favor and be honest with you.” I rub behind Julep’s ears and lift my eyes up to him. “I’m guessing by your charming tone that this ‘honest favor’ won’t be the kind that has me smiling or moaning afterwards?”

The baseball hat was cute. Flipped backward, it’s hot. But if he were wearing a cowboy hat, I’d be squeezing my thighs together.

Every woman a Foxx man loved ended up dying. I don’t think any of us want to try to survive another loss like the ones we’ve experienced.

“Laney,” Grant calls out. When I turn back toward him, he looks like he’s going to apologize, but instead, he stands there, the stoic look masking his face, staying silent. “My name sounds good coming out of your mouth like that.”

“Fuck my life, I want her.” The way her lips look puffy and pouty. Like she’s not getting her way after just finishing sucking on a cherry popsicle. The way I want to see how she’d take me. If she whines or moans when she feels good. The way it would feel to tuck my cock between her tits and then paint them when I’m ready. Make her lick me clean.

“You keep looking at me like that, cowboy, and I’ll get the wrong idea.” “And what idea is that, honey?” I swallow and already regret responding.

If I stand too close, I’ll do something stupid like close the distance and kiss that pretty fucking mouth of hers.

“Laney, there’s no way that being your friend would ever be enough for me.”

I don’t look back over my shoulder or check to see if her lights are out before mine tonight; otherwise, I’ll rush right back to her, slam my mouth to hers, and fuck the truth right out of both of us.

“You be my light.” I crouch down in front of her. “I’ll be your ride.” She takes my phone and laughs. “You want me to get on your back?” “You can’t walk the rest of the way with one shoe and a sliced foot. So yeah, hop on.”

Falling for her is all-consuming.

“Life’s too unpredictable to worry how tidy it should be.”

“Don’t tease me.” “You want more? Then keep pouring, baby.” “I’m going to waste too much,” I laugh out. “It’s the best bottle I’ve ever had. And it’s got nothing to do with the notes or the year, and everything to do with how I’m drinking it.”

“I thought you were sexy before, but seeing you like this, with the smell of you on my beard and the taste of you in my mouth…” He rests his chin on my thigh, a glazed-over look in his half-lidded eyes. “How am I not supposed to fall in love with you now?”

The moment she kissed me, I knew I wasn’t going to want anyone else ever again.

“But in case you misunderstood me, honey. When I woke up with the taste of you on my tongue and the smell of you in my beard, I considered you mine.”

“What if I don’t want to go back to the party and watch you serve anyone else tonight? What if I’d rather just spend the rest of the night figuring out all the ways I can serve you?”

“You deserve good things, Laney. I don’t know the details, but I’ve seen enough to know that whatever you ran from, it was ugly. And I’m telling you, from one hardened heart to another, that no matter what happened, you’re allowed to find good things.”

“But I am, honey. I’m so fucking in love with you. This is it for me.”

“Don’t look at me like you need to remember. I’m yours, honey.”

“My family will always be my family. No matter where I am, I love them and they love me. But you’re wrong about my life, honey. I’ve been treading water. Wasting time trying to keep people away. But I’ve only just started living again.” He wipes the tear that’s fallen down the side of my nose. “This woman who has no filter and calls me cowboy is the person I want to do life with. I don’t need more time to tell me something I already know.”

“I want to be with you. It’s that simple. Nobody asked me to choose, but it’s you, baby. You’re what I’ve been waiting on. Brave. Smart.” I kiss her lips again. “Fiery and sweet. And everything I want.”

“You’re making new memories here.” I tip my head. “You needed a new memory box.”

“That was my nana’s ring. I asked Griz if he wouldn’t mind if you had it. A little bit of my family with us wherever we end up.”

“I love you, Laney. I want you to be mine the same way that I’ll be yours. I promise that I’ll make you proud to wear that ring. The same way I promise to be your family, to keep you safe, and to keep loving you a little more every day.”

“You said I was yours. So unless you were just handing me a line, that’s exactly what I am. It feels that simple for me. I choose to be yours the same way you’ve chosen to be mine. I’m not going anywhere, cowboy.”

“I promise to love you. In this life, but also in the next. You’re the part I never believed in. The kind of partner I didn’t understand. Until you got here, I didn’t know. But now that I do, I vow to stand next to you always, behind you for backup, and in front of you for protection.”